Benjamin Ames Kimball

Hearing Scheduled Next Week on Fate of Gilford's Crumbling Kimball Castle

Gilford - The future of a fascinating Lakes Region landmark will be discussed at a public hearing next Wednesday night when town officials present options for the historic Kimball Castle.

Residents have been invited to attend the session with selectmen at 7:30 pm at the municipal building.

Kimball Castle, an impressive stone structure at the summit of Locke's Hill, was built in the late 1800s by Benjamin Kimball, president of the Boston and Montreal Railroad.

The Science for Youth Foundation, which had inherited the property, deeded the 125-acre estate to Gilford in 1981.

During the past eight years, town officials have wrestled with possible uses for the property.

An 80-page master plan was compiled by the Kimball Castle Association and efforts were made to lease the property to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.

But efforts to generate interest in the project failed, according to Town Administrator David Caron.

Nobody was interested in running educational programs and maintaining the buildings under terms of the Trust, he said.

The proposed lease to turn over responsibility for implementing provisions of the trust to the Fish and Game Department also failed.

Provisions of the Trust require that other buildings on the property be improved and the land used for a wildlife educational program.

But those provisions would burden taxpayers with a large expense, Caron said.

Town counsel and selectmen have met with representatives from the state Attorney General's Office to discuss responsibility for charitable trusts and the options of subdividing the castle onto a separate parcel.

Selectmen have suggested selling the castle to someone interested in renovating the structure and providing some type of public access.

Sale money could then be earmarked for administering the trust requirements for the remaining land.

Some interest has been expressed by individuals in buying the castle, but the cost of renovating the crumbling structure could be prohibitive, Caron said.

©2004 Peter K Kimball